The Letter
by shatteredpearl
Summary: A Taismo oneshot. Can't really tell you more than that.


The moon shone through the window, illuminating the young fox's room. Normally, it was a mess; Tails was notorious for multitasking, often working on three or four projects at once. Tonight, though, the room was almost unnaturally clean. The only thing out of place was a small stack of envelopes sitting on Tails' workbench.  
>Tails took one last glance back at the room. Memories washed over him: eating chili dogs with Sonic, working on inventions with Chris, and carefully tending for Cosmo' plant. His gaze flicked to the flowerpot next to the envelopes. "Don't worry," he told the plant. "They'll care for you." He picked up the envelopes and opened the door to the hallway.<p>

As he passed by the first door, he quietly opened it and slipped inside. The soft sound of Sonic snoring filled the air. Tails looked at the blue hedgehog. While awake, he exuded an air of confidence and power. However, when he slept, he looked so innocent, Tails could barely resist the urge to hug him.  
>Tails walked over to the bed. He leaned over Sonic and whispered, "Goodbye, brother." Sonic rolled over in his sleep, murmuring, "No... Amy, stop... Go away..." Tails chuckled. The smile lasted for only an instant before it slid off Tails' face. He quietly left the room. As the door closed, Tails taped one of the envelopes to it.<br>The next door he passed was Amy's. Tails opened the door and poked his head in. Amy was cuddling something fluffy and blue. Tails looked closer and saw that it was a small Sonic doll. He paused, touched. _You really do love him, don't you. _he thought. He closed her door and attached the second envelope to it.  
>The third and final room belonged to Cream. Tails opened the door a crack and looked inside. The young rabbit was curled into a ball, her faithful chao Cheese sleeping next to her. She was mostly still, with only an occasional shudder. Her breathing was erratic, long gasps followed by short exhalations. Tails walked over to her, worried. As he neared her, Cream rolled over, then jolted as she saw Tails. "Tails? What are you doing here?"<br>Tails fumbled for an explanation, unwilling to tell her the truth. "I heard you breathing funny. Are you all right?" Cream nodded and sniffed.  
>"Cream? Were you crying?"<br>She nodded, then sniffed again. "I... I miss Cosmo."  
>Tails nodded in sympathy. "I know how you feel. I miss her too. Sometimes, I feel like there's nothing that I can do without her. But then I remember what she told me. Do you remember?"<br>"She said not to be sad," Cream said. "But I can't help it! I miss her so much. She was my friend!"  
>Tails' heart filled with pity for the young rabbit. He leaned over and hugged her, feeling the fur on his shoulders begin to dampen with her tears. "It'll get better, Cream. Trust me."<br>Cream sniffed once more, then said, "I trust you, Tails."  
>She rolled over and stroked Cheese's head. Tails pulled the covers up over her, then left the room. He turned to the door and affixed the third envelope. A sour taste filled his mouth, as if the lies he'd told had left a residue. "I'm sorry, Cream," he murmured as he left the house.<p>

The night air was cool and fresh. Tails took a deep breath, then slowly opened the garage door. He gazed at the X Tornado 2. He'd rebuilt it after Shadow had destroyed the original. Tails opened the cockpit and climbed inside. Tails opened a secret panel and flipped a switch. A golden light surrounded the plane, creating a barrier that absorbed sound. He typed the coordinates of Angel Island into the autopilot, then leaned back as the plane took off.  
>As the supersonic plane neared the island, Tails took the controls. He eased the plane to the ground, careful not to alert the island's guardian. As he walked up the stairs to the Master Emerald altar, he saw Knuckles' familiar figure sleeping in front of the emerald. The gem had fractured during the final battle with the Metarex, but had already begun to repair itself.<br>Tails walked up to the biggest of the five pieces of the Master Emerald. He carefully taped the last envelope to the gem. As he did so, Knuckles murmured and rolled over in his sleep. Tails froze, watching the echidna carefully. After making sure Knuckles was still asleep, Tails snuck down the altar stairs. He walked through the forest until he came to the edge of the island.

Tails kicked a nearby pebble over the edge, watching it fall out of sight. As he watched it fall, he thought about the letters he'd written. He thought of the first one he'd written, to the person who'd meant the most to him.

_Dear Sonic,_  
><em>As I write this, I think about the first day we met. Do you remember? You saved me from those lizard bullies. Even then, you seemed so strong and confident. I've idolized you ever since then. <em>  
><em> You've always supported me and guided me. And you've always tried to protect not only me, but the entire world. Keep protecting your loved ones, Sonic. Without them, life's not worth living. I'm proud to be your friend, and honored to be your brother.<em>

Tails' thoughts progressed to the next letter he'd written.

_Dear Amy,_  
><em>I've wanted to tell you something for a long time. On the planet Marmolim, you set up a trap to catch Sonic, remember? Cosmo and I triggered it instead. When you told me what that was for, I was angry. Had my entire relationship been a mistake? But then I realized that I'd loved Cosmo long before that. I had just never admitted it to myself.<em>  
><em> You've always been so strong-willed and determined. Others may call you crazy, and it's true. But love does that. Your love for Sonic runs deeper than sense or sanity. Keep your love strong. Eventually, when Sonic slows down and comes to his senses, he'll see you for what you are: a beautiful, headstrong young woman. He's a lucky hedgehog to have you looking after him.<em>

Tails had thought carefully about the third letter. He didn't want to scare Cream; she'd already seen too much.

_Dear Cream,_  
><em>You certainly live up to your name: you're sweet to everyone you meet. I wanted to thank you for being such a good friend to Cosmo. I can't fathom how confused she must have been to awaken in your house. From the moment you met her, you accepted her, something even I hadn't done.<em>  
><em> I'm sorry you've had to grow up so fast.<em> _I've had to do the same thing, but I was older. You are one of the strongest, kindest people I've ever known. Keep your kindness close, and happiness will follow you wherever you go._

Tails looked over his shoulder at the altar. He could barely make out the small red figure guarding it.

_Dear Knuckles,_  
><em>I've secretly admired you. You have amazing power; you could easily push people around and do whatever you want. However, you've dedicated yoor life to protecting the universe. You always find a way to overcome your obstacles. While your temper occasionally causes trouble, it also gives you the power to change the world.<em>  
><em> Your heart is pure, and your strength is formidable. With these two qualities, you forge a path through the world. Only time will tell where it leads.<em>

Tails watched the clouds change color, going from dark blue to white, finally ending up a beautiful orange. He remembered the last paragraph of each letter, the one part that was the same.

_I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I couldn't tell you face-to-face; you would have stopped me. Ever since Cosmo died, I've been scrambling to find a way to keep going. I've tried to accept what I've done. But it hasn't worked. The more I tried, the clearer it became to me. I can never forgive myself for what I've done:_

_ I killed her._

_ I killed her! I, Miles Prower, killed Cosmo, my love. There's no way any of you could feel what I've felt. I know it was the only way; I know she asked me to. But I saw the look on her face, I heard her voice; she was afraid. She didn't want to die. And I killed her._  
><em> Without Cosmo, I'm lost. She was the reason I fought so hard. I hoped that, one day, I could work up the courage to tell her that I loved her. But I couldn't even do that.<em>  
><em> Thank you all for being such good friends. I'm eternally grateful for what you've done for me. Please don't worry about me. I promise, I'll see you all again. Until then, I'll be with Cosmo.<em> 

_Love, Tails_

Tails took a deep breath, and looked out over the ocean. The clouds were now a deep, rich red, the same color as Cosmo's flowers. As the morning sun rose, the ocean revealed itself. The shimmering blue hue reminded Tails of Cosmo's eyes. "I'm coming, Cosmo," the young fox murmured. Then, he leaned forward and fell. As the wind whipped past his face, he smiled for the first time in months.

Time seemed to slow as Tails fell. Memories traced their way through his thoughts. He remembered meeting Sonic, fighting Eggman, getting teleported to Chris's world. He saw the meteor shower the night he first met Cosmo, felt his cheeks redden over the words he'd almost said: "You're so beautiful." He heard her voice, telling him not to be sad, not to miss her.

All these memories and more flashed before his eyes as he fell towards the shining sea. And, as he neared its surface, Tails felt no fear.

Inside the house, a low humming noise filled the air. Sonic's eyes flickered open. He sat up and looked around, trying to find the source. He opened his door and walked out into the hallway. The humming was emanating from Tails' room.

"Sonic?"

He turned to see Amy and Cream standing in their doorways.

"What's happening?" Cream asked.

"I'm not sure. Let's find out." Sonic replied.

The three made their way down the hallway. In their focus on the sound, they didn't notice the envelopes taped to their doors. Sonic opened the door. As he did so, the humming quieted and the room lit up with golden light. The group shielded their eyes, but quickly discovered that the light wasn't blinding. In the center of the light stood Cosmo's plant, shining a bright white. As they watched, the plant's radiance increased, until they were forced to look away.

The light suddenly vanished. A muffled thump sounded, along with a squeal of pain. The group opened their eyes to find Cosmo lying on the floor. She looked up at the group, her eyes shining. However, a cloud of confusion passed over her eyes as she asked,

"Where's Tails?"


End file.
